Bhatt Mathuranath Shastri

Bhatt Mathuranath Shastri (23 March 1889 – 4 June 1964) was an eminent Indian Sanskrit scholar, poet, philosopher, grammarian, polyglot and expert of Tantra from Jaipur, Rajasthan. He was one of the prominent Sanskrit writers of the twentieth century who wrote on both traditional and modern themes. He pioneered the use of several new genres in Sanskrit literature, writing radio plays, essays, travelogues, and short stories. He wrote many songs in Sanskrit including Ghazals, Thumris, Dadras and Dhrupads.

Life

Birth Bhatt Mathuranath Shastri was born in Jaipur in the famous Devarshi family which had a tradition of great Sanskrit scholars and poets going back to more than four hundred years. His father's name was Devarshi Dwarkanath Bhatt, mother's name was Shrimati Janaki Devi and elder brother's name was Devarshi Ramanath Shastri, who himself was a Sanskrit scholar, proponent and commentator of Pushtimarg sect of 'pure non-dualism' (Shuddhadvaita). His ancestors were Tailanga Brahmins of the Gautama Gotra following the Krishna Yajurveda. The Devarshi family started with Baviji Dikshit, who migrated from Devarkonda or Devalpalli village (origin of their family name Devarshi) in current-day Andhra Pradesh to Varanasi during Mughal Empire rule. The descendants of Baviji Dikshit later migrated from Varanasi to Prayag, then to Rewa (where they were given the Jagir of village named Divrikhiya) and then to Bundi. From Bundi, Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh brought Kavikalanidhi Devarshi Shrikrishna Bhatt, a celebrated poet of Sanskrit and Braj-Bhasha, to his Jaipur-court and awarded him the title of "Kavikalānidhi" (treasure of poetic expertise). Descendants of Shrikrishna Bhatt in the Devarshi family include Dwarkanath Bhatt, Jagdish Bhatt, Vasudev Bhatt, and Mandan Bhatt, who were all royal poets in the court of the Maharajas of Jaipur. In this family, Mathuranath Shastri was born on 23 March 1889 in Jaipur. (1935) Gāthāratnasamuccayaḥ (गाथारत्नसमुच्चयः) (1947) Jayapuravaibhavam (जयपुरवैभवम्) (1988) Prabandhapārijātaḥ (प्रबन्धपारिजातः) publisher- Kendriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth, Jaipur Bhaktibhāvano Bhagavān (भक्तिभावनो भगवान्) Bhāratavaibhavam (भारतवैभवम्) Mañjulaanāṭikā (मञ्जुला नाटिका) A radio play for All India Radio published in series 'Prakhya'-6 by Hari Singh Gaur Sagar University Mogalasāmrājyasūtradhāro Mānasiṁhaḥ (मोगलसाम्राज्यसूत्रधारो मानसिंहः) (1939) (revised in 1946)Saralā (सरला): A Sanskrit commentary on the Rasagaṅgādharam of Panditraj Jagannath published by Nirnay Sagar Press, Bombay. Saṁskṛtasudhā (संस्कृतसुधा): Rendering of the Prakrit Gaha Sattasai of Hāla in Sanskrit. (1930) Sāhityavaibhavam (साहित्यवैभवम्) An anthology titled Mañjunāthagranthāvaliḥ (मञ्जुनाथग्रन्थावलिः) consisting of all Sanskrit works of Shastri (along with his Sanskrit commentary) has been published by the Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, New Delhi.

Some of Bhatt's very important works are still unpublished. They include: Bharat Vaibhawam (भारतवैभवम) (in two volumes) Dhatuprayogaparijatah (धातुप्रयोगपारिजातः) Aaryaanamaadibhasha (आर्याणाम् आदिभाषा) Kavyakunja (काव्यकुंज) Rassiddhantah (रससिद्धान्तः) (partly published in 'Shodhaprabha'by Lal Bahadur Shastri Sanskrit Vidyapeeth, New Delhi Vinodvaatika (विनोदवाटिका) Sanskrit-Katha-Nikunj (संस्कृत-कथा-निकुंज) Bilhanstasya Kavyanch (बिल्हणस्तस्य काव्यं च) Kavyasiddhantah (काव्यसिद्धान्तः) Stutikusumanjali (स्तुतिकुसुमांजली) Rasgangadhar Commentary Detailed (रसगंगाधर विस्तृत व्याख्या) (detailed Commentary)

Editing Mathuranath Shastri's massive contribution to Editing various important and classical Sanskrit books is also noteworthy. He has edited "Kadambari", "Rasgangadhar" "Sanskritgathasaptshati", "Geervaangiraagauravam", "Prabandhpaarijat", "Shilalekhlalantika", "Geetgovindam", "Sulabh Sanskritam", "Sharnagati-rahasya", Vrij-kavita-veethi", "Chaturthistav", "Chandradutta-parichaya", "Ishwarvilas-mahakavyam", "Padyamuktavali", "Vrittmuktavali" etc. He also edited prestigious Sanskrit journals and periodicals like "Sanskrit Ratnakar" (from 1904 to 1949) and "Bharati" (from 1952 to 1964).

Hindi (1953) Śaraṇāgati Rahasya (शरणागति रहस्य) – Elaboration of six characteristics of a Bhakta based on the characters of Vibhishana and Sugriva in Valmiki's Ramayana. Published by Gita Press, Gorakhpur. (1947) Braj-Kavita- Veethi – A compilation of eminent Braj Bhasha poets and their representational poetry that also includes Pandit Bhatt's poems.

Songs Shastri wrote many songs in Sanskrit, introducing the popular folk music genre of Ghazal, and Hindustani classical music genres of Thumris, Dadras and Dhrupads into Sanskrit. He wrote Dhrupad songs in Sanskrit at the insistence of Thakur Jaidev Singh. He had a keen interest in Indian Classical Music and Rabindra Sangeet also.

Major books published on the life and works of Bhatt Mathuranath Shastri Mañjunātha Vāgvaibhavam, 1990 Mañjunāthagadyagauravam, 2004 Śrī Mathurānātha Śāstriṇaḥ Kr̥titvasamīkṣaṇam, 1995 Sanskr̥ta kē Yugapuruṣa Mañjunātha, 2004 Mañjunāthavāgvaijayantī, Jaipur Bhaṭṭasmr̥ti Viśēṣāṅka, 1964 Bhaṭṭajanmaśatābdīviśēṣāṅkaḥ, 1990 Bhaṭṭa Mathurānāthasya Kāvyaśāstrīyā Nibandhāḥ, 2011 Bhāratīya Sāhitya Nirmātā:Bhaṭṭa Mathurānātha Śāstrī 'Mañjunāthaḥ' (by Devarshi Kala Nath Shastry), 2013 Mañjunātha Granthāvalī (in 5 volumes), 2009–2011 Ādhunika Sanskr̥ta Sāhitya ēvaṁ Bhaṭṭa Mathurānātha Śāstrī, 2008

Research on the works of Bhatt Mathuranath Shastri Many scholarly research works, including those for PhD and M.Phil degrees, have been done on his works throughout India and abroad. Some of them are: Bhaṭṭa Śrī Mathurānātha Śāstrī: Vyaktitva ēvaṁ Kr̥titva (PhD thesis, 1975) Sanskr̥ta Muktakaparamparā kō Bhaṭṭajī kā Avadāna (PhD thesis, 1981) Bhaṭṭa Mathurānāthaśāstrikr̥ta Samasyā Sandōha (M.Phil dissertation, 1980–81) Sanskr̥ta Nibandha Sāhitya mēṁ Bhaṭṭajī kā Avadāna (M.Phil dissertation, 1998) Gōvindavaibhavam – Samīkṣātmaka Vivaraṇa (PhD thesis, 1978)

Awards and recognition

Awards Title of "Kaviśiromaṇi" (crest jewel of poets), given in 1936 by Akhil Bhartiya Sanskrit Sahitya Sammelan through the Maharaja of Jaipur Sawai Bhawani Singh. Title of "Kaviśiromaṇi" (crest jewel of poets), given by the All India Sanskrit Literature Conference. Title of "Kavisārvabhauma" (emperor of poets), given by the Vellanaatiya Tailanga Sabha. Title of "Sāhityavāridhi" (ocean of literature). given by Bharat Dharma Mahamandal, Varanasi.

Recognition Radha Vallabh Tripathi writes that Mathuranath Shastri was one of his kind in his time who started new genres, foresaw the future of Sanskrit composition and a composer of novel works and songs. Tripathi says that barring two or three poets like Mathuranath Shastri, nobody has demonstrated command over a wide variety of poetry and prose genres. He further adds that Mathuranath Shastri brought a new dawn in the field of Sanskrit literature. His outstanding contribution to Sanskrit literature has been recognised by Uttar Pradesh Sanskrit Sansthan, Lucknow in their prestigious publication "Sanskrit Vangmaya Ka Vrihad Itihas", 2004 (Edited by Pandit (Baldev Upadhyaya) by naming one of the three modern Sanskrit literature-eras as "Bhatt-Yug" (1930–1960). Kalidas Samiti in Ujjain regularly organised "Kalidas Samaroh" since 1940s. Impressed by Pandit Bhatt's poetic excellence and his deep appreciation of the aesthetics of poetry, the Kalidas Samiti honoured him at an All India Kavi Sammelan in Ujjain by calling him "Abhinav Kalidas" (modern day Kalidas). His birth anniversary is celebrated regularly by many reputed south Indian literary and academic institutions. After his name, a chair has been established in Jagadguru Ramanandacharya Rajasthan Sanskrit University Jaipur. 'Manjunath Shodh Sansthan' (C-8, Prithwi Raj Road, C-Scheme, Jaipur-302001) is active in research and publication work relating to the life and literary contribution of Bhatt Mathuranath Shastri and maintains his huge library.